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Monday, August 25, 2014

some of us made it through college vowing to never write another thing

some of us wonder what is so special about our life and thoughts that we should record any of itsome of us feel like we just don’t know where to start

but i’m here to tell you that writing down the experiences you traverse will be one of the most cherished possessions of your lifetruly all of us have gone through something in our life that was hard, that was stretching, that was buildingand it should be documented if for no one else, but for your future selfbecause as we all know hard stuff doesn’t just come around once in our lifetimethe likelihood of us battling difficult events in our future life is certainand there is nothing quite like rereading your own words telling youthat thing was hardthat thing tore you upbut you made it throughand here’s how you did ityou will now know that you can get through this new thing too

i declare to you that any effort you make to throw your words down on “paper” will be of tremendous value to youtime after time i have revisited my own words words which seem so wise and couldn’t have possibly come from mebut they didwriting is a form of claritya clearing away of the fog of the heavy circumstance and channeling a crisp communication that lends to perspectivewhether you believe in God or notwriting is a tool that is given to us to still our busy lives and allow us to listenlisten to yourself and listen to God’s Spirit

i am so grateful tonight to have come across a blog post i wrote back in march 26, 2012entitledfor the days i just can’t get out of bedthis post included part of a speech i gave to a large body of women in my churchthese words were the clarity and comfort i needed today

"I am grateful to a loving and merciful Heavenly Father who provided me with an opportunity to speak so that I could be still, and sit and reflect on the lessons that He was asking me to learn when I just didn’t think I could be stretched any more. Who’s gift to me of the Holy Ghost brought to my mind in just that instant the words of one of my favorite quotes from the ever eloquent apostle of the Lord, Elder Neal A Maxwell, from his powerful book “The Promise of Discipleship”

Even if and when we seem to have squeezed out the last full measure of our devotion, an omniscient and perfectly empathic God not only knows the difficulties through which we have passed and are passing but also knows if any residue of unused devotion still remains to further the process!

Heavenly Father knows what we are capable of and of our potential for greatness - He knows our heart, He is our creator, He sees our life, He sees it in its complete form. He knows what we are to become. And through his wisdom and mercy He will utilize any residue of unused devotion to refine us and raise us to levels of faith and testimony that we didn’t even know we were capable of.

I pray that these thoughts will continue to bring comfort, peace and joy to me

even, and especially, on those mornings I just don’t feel like getting out of bed.

Being stretched is hard and flat out painful. Naturally, I desire the easy route; whether that be the least work, pain, or thought.Let us be careful that we do not resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature - whatever form they may come in: whether it is someone, a health issue, an unyielding obstacle, our own weakness, or the absence of something or someone in our life.

Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way out. We clearly understand that an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class athlete. We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.

Oftentimes my trials and struggles blind me, they are that pebble that I have held up to my eye that prevents me from seeing beyond it. I have had a beautiful and blessed life and I allow fear to take over in imagining the tolls disease may take on my Daddy and my husband and what our life together may become. I find myself like Lot’s wife looking behind because she could not imagine that her future could have been better than her past. If there is anyone who we can look to on this earth for optimism, it is our dear living prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pres. Thomas S. Monson who proclaimed in his closing testimony in the April 2009 General Conference,

The future is as bright as your faith

I would encourage each of you to turn to writing as you travel along your journey, especially during times of difficulty. It does not need to be published or for others to see, simply in the act of recording your experiences your eyes will be open and you will gain a grander perspective as you create a moment of quietude that can allow the Spirit to work through you. I can not count the number of times that I have felt compelled to write about a struggle in my life, only to have the love of my Heavenly Father communicated to my heart through putting the words down on a page. They have also served as an invaluable source for comfort and strength as I return to reread what I have passed through. "friendsyou will not know today, or tomorrow, or perhaps even a year down the road if what you write today will become just the words you will needfor that is only a portion of the treasurewriting will bring a sense of clarity and gratitude to your life right now that may be exactly what you needso tonight just write some stuff downand feel the power of your words